Reporter Christine Show says that many of the people with whom she’s speaking at the Lake Square Mall say it’s their very first time shopping on Black Friday.

At JCPenney, which had been open since 4 a.m., the crowd was pretty light.

Jacqueline Willis, of Tavares, said she’d been inspired to come to her first Black Friday by sales advertisements on television. "I decided to get up and come out and see what I can find. I usually sleep during this time but I wanted to get some things and save," she said. "I’m saving a lot more this Christmas"

She already has bought some towels and undergarments — for herself

At Sears, the electronics department was the most crowded place in the store, as shoppers sought flat-screen TVs and cameras.

Shelley Ogburn, from Jacksonville, who had been visiting her parents in Lake County, always hits Black Friday sales, but said she’s spending less this year. "I want to conserve," she explained.

Joey Barton, 27, of Leesburg, had never been to Black Friday, but woke up early hoping to find a deal on a new plasma TV.

It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays… Or at least that’s what retailers seem to be saying.

From carols in the stores to advertisements touting “the lowest holiday prices,” it looks like the holiday retail season has begun.

This year, great deals will be even more important as families try to make their budgets stretch. So as you search for the best bargains and hottest items, check back with The Holiday Wrap Up for the latest retail news.

And new for 2008: You can follow The Holiday Wrap Up on Twitter. We’ll be updating under the name ‘holidaywrap.’

Okay, so before we get to Black Friday, we’ve got to make it through Thanksgiving. And that means…figuring out what, and where, to eat.

The National Restaurant Association says one in 10 Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day by dining in one of the nation’s 935,000 restaurants. More than half of consumers use take-out items from restaurants for all or part of their meal.

Not surprisingly, smaller households and those without children are more likely to dine out on Thanksgiving.

Frankly, I’ll take my mom’s homemade stuffing any day. But what do you think? Is homemade apple pie crucial to the celebration? And if it’s not — where are the best places to eat out in Orlando?